Elastic trace connection



.(No Model.)

J.VN. 8v I. N.BUR'KB. BLASTIG TRACE co N-NzaoiIoN.V

No. 472,783. Patented Apr.- 1 2, 1892..'k

urna.. wnsumaron w c zoV UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.l

JAREZ NEWTON BURKE AND IRA N. BURKE, OF FOREST IIILI'., CALIFORNIAELAsT|C TRACE CONNECTION.

sPEcIEIcA'IIoNfermIng peut ef Lettere Patent Ne. 472,783, dated April12,1892.

Application tied Deeetnbei1 1,1891. serie1ne.413.7o3.' (Ne model.) Y

To all whom it may concern! Be it known that we, JABEZ NEWTON BURKE andIRA N. BURKE, citizens of the United States, residing at Forest Hill,Placer county, State of California, haveinventedan I mprove- -ment inElastic Trace Connections; andwe hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same.

Our invention relates to that class of connections or couplings betweentraces and whiffletrees in which springs or other elastic devices areemployed 'to make the pull a yielding one.

Our invention consists in the novel connection hereinafter fullydescribed, and specilically pointed out in the claims.

The object of our invention is to provide a simple, powerful, anddurable trace connection of this class.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanationof our invention, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of our connection.Fig. 2 is an elevation of same.

A is a tubular or hollow vbar having connected with its forward end theswivel-hook B. able manner. (Here shown by confining the head of thehook in the end of the tubularl bar by means of a removable screw-capC.)- In the sides of the tubular bar, near its for ward end, are madethe elongated slots a.

D is a snap-hook of suitable construction. It is formed with or isconnected to a shank E, which is seated within the tubular bar andcarries on its forward end a cross-head F, which projects through theslots a Of the bar. Wie have here shown the snap-hook and shank ascomposed of a single piece bent double. The hook is formed by the endsof the piece which project from the rear end of the tubular bar, and thecross-head F is embraced by the bight of the piece. Around the tubularbar A is seated the spiral spring G. The ends of this spring areconfined between the cross-head F and a cap C on the rear end of thetubular bar.

In use the hook B is caused to engagevthe eye or loop of the trace I-I,and the snap-hook D engages the clip t' on the end of whifiietree Thisconnection may be made in any suit-` I. The pull or strain On the traceis received by the spring G,instead of by the whiftletree directly, asin the usual forms of connections.

Our connection is a simple one, easy to construct, strong and durable,and is capable of ready application to any trace and whifiietree. Inpractice the strength of the spring G is regulated by the load to bedrawn. The horse can start the load easier and can continue the pullwith less effort than with the common connection. Ourdevice, by yieldingon each side of the horse as he steps along, will relieve jerks and jarsand prevent sore shoulders and will encourage the horse to greatereorts.

Having thus described our invention, what j we claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. An elastic trace connection consisting of a hollow bar having slottedsides and an end hook for thev trace, a cross-head within said barhaving ends projecting through the slots in its sides, a spring againstwhich the crosshead bears,and asnap-hook itted within the bar and formedwith a doubled or bent shank having its bightencircling the cross-headand having its free ends confined by the end of the hollow bar,substantially as herein described.

2. An elastic trace connection consisting of the hollow or tubular barhaving the end caps and the elongated side slots, the swivel-hook forthe trace at the forward end of the bar and conined bythe front cap, thesnap-hook for the whiffletree projecting from the rear end of the barand formed'with a doubled or bent shank extending forwardly in said bar,thek

